2014 saw a record 1,918 new companies started in Peterborough, compared with the 2013 year-end total of 1,503. Since then, new businesses have been flourishing across the city and in 2015, new business creation in Peterborough was 50% higher than the UK average.

The confidence in the local economy has been endorsed by a number of new arrivals such as, Turtle Bay, Middleton’s Streak House, Metro Bank, Handmade Burger Company and Cote recently opening their doors.

The fall in unemployment in Peterborough further adds to the positive economic picture, with the city seeing a 38% reduction in claimants in 2015.

Population

Within our population of around 197,100 we have a slightly younger demographic profile in comparison to the UK and Eastern region, with 41% of the population aged 29 and under compared with 37% in the UK and 36% in the East. Peterborough also has a lower proportion of people aged 65+ in comparison to the regional and national averages.

Peterborough has a diverse and multicultural community with our population made up of around 13% non-white British compared to 12% in England and 7% in the region. Local residents benefit from an excellent house-price-to-earnings ratio. Property is attractive, affordable and plentiful and we also have one of the highest ratios of green space per person in the UK.

Peterborough in numbers

Population of 197,100 and a retail catchment of over 960,000¹

63% of residents are of working age (c.124,000)¹

An employment rate of 79.4%¹

6,900 VAT registered businesses¹

Gross Value Added: £5,382m¹

Productivity of £47,356 (GVA per worker)¹

Median gross weekly pay of £507¹

Peterborough is an affordable place to live and do business with a house price/earnings ratio of 8.90²

Average cost of Grade A office space is currently around £13.50 per sqft³